Our Mission: To support both our Group and Local Communities by providing first class service whilst helping them develop, innovate and flourish.
We are a family run business with origins that started in Truro, Cornwall over 45 years ago. Cornwall Group was formed as part of a major restructure of Cornwall Glass in July 2019 creating a new Group entity with originally three trading divisions, this included Mackenzie Glass, Cornwall Glass & Glazing and Cornwall Glass Manufacturing. In 2021 homeware and gift shops Annie and Maude, Truro, and The Bourdeaux Shop on the Isles of Scilly joined the group. In 2023, independent glass supplier Forward Glass, in Birmingham, joined the group as Cornwall Group’s most substantial acquisition to date. All five companies, each a Limited company in their own right, sit under a new Group function, encompassing IT, Finance, HR and Marketing: The Cornwall Group.
Follow our journey…Cornwall Group is an independent family business based in Truro with origins in business dating back to the 1970's.
At the beginning of December 2023, Cornwall Group acquired Birmingham-based Forward Glass, which stood out as Cornwall Group’s most substantial deal to date. Ideally located in the West Midlands their manufacturing facility is fully equipped with state-of-the-art tempering furnaces and a wide range of glass processing machinery.
Cornwall Group acquired Lemon Street Market, located in the heart of Truro it has a range of individual outlets with great selection of local produce and crafts. Annie & Maude moved from Threemilestone to Lemon Street Market, taking units both upstairs and downstairs in the unique indoor shopping venue.
The Cornwall Group promoted five members of its team to board level: Steve Bunney becomes Production Director with Steven Marques as the new Sales Director at Cornwall Glass Manufacturing Ltd; and Barrie Gazzard becomes Company Director of Cornwall Glass & Glazing Ltd. For Cornwall Group, Thomas Julian becomes the new Managing Director; with Kate Bunt as the new Finance Director
The Cornwall Group was nominated as a finalist in two categories at this year’s G21 Awards, for Company of the Year and Best Training & Development Initiative of the Year. The G-Awards celebrate product and service innovation glass and the window and door industry, Cornwall Group fighting off stiff competition to pick up the top accolade and winning Company of the Year.
Mark Mitchell, chairman, Cornwall Group, said: “The Group was formed in July 2019, only a few months before COVID-19 hit, with the aim of driving improved service and agility across our businesses. “While we couldn’t have foreseen the challenges that we have faced, the new and more flexible structure that we put in place has been instrumental in supporting us in adapting to challenge, by empowering colleagues to make the right decisions. To have that recognised, and all the hard work that each and every member of our team has put in to making our reorganisation a success, in some fairly trying circumstances, is fantastic.”
Cornwall Group officially opened a new & exciting venture, Annie & Maude, in Threemilestone, as well as acquiring The Bourdeaux Shop in the Isles of Scilly, which both sells gifts and homeware.
Cornwall Glass Restructures in July 2019 and Cornwall Group Ltd was created, creating three distinct divisions, each with its own focus on a key area of glass supply. The strategic aim was to bring more focus and agility to key areas of the business. operating across three divisions. This includes two focussing on trade, Cornwall Glass Manufacturing and glass merchanting business, Mackenzie Glass. A third division, Cornwall Glass & Glazing, is focussed on installations, trade and retail supply. Each a Limited company, they sit under a new Group function, encompassing IT, Finance, HR and Marketing, the Cornwall Group Ltd.
Celebrating 40 years of business the group has seen many changes in industry, locations and workforce. Charlie Chough became a real life company mascot and visited many local events promoting the companies anniversary grants to 40 community groups and organisations within Cornwall.
Global giant, NSG, sold its Pilkington Bristol business to Mackenzie Glass at the end of 2017. Supplying more than one million square metres of flat glass a year with a turnover in excess of £5m, the deal saw assets and colleagues transferred to Mackenzie for an undisclosed sum, Mackenzie Glass also assuming new status as the first Pilkington Regional Partner.
The Cornwall Group Apprenticeship Journey is started as an occupational competency training and assessment program designed to highlight and promote a career within all aspects of the business and is designed to support those who come on board, in developing new skills and career progression.
The commitment to growth continued with the relocation of our Westcountry branch to Langage Industrial Estate, Plymouth. With a £5 million investment into a new purpose built IGU and processing factory, handling 57 different glass types ranging for 4mm to 9mm specification the group offering goes from strength to strength. The total number of colleagues had grown to numbers exceeding 230. With and aim of 10% of these being apprentices the company celebrates its forward-thinking approach to the glass industry. The internal promotion and appointment of four new directors re-enforces the strong internal culture of the company.
Embracing all things digital the group launched ukglasscentre.co.uk our ecommerce shop, offering glass products including mirror glass, splashbacks, shelves, accessories, and bullions.
Reaching out across the Westcountry again, the group acquired a large glass processing facility in Highbridge, Somerset which was opened as the “M5 Glass Centre”. With a third toughening furnace, specialising in painted and patterned glass alongside production of DGU’s, the branch quickly established itself in the local community.
With the Acorn fund growing faster than anyone could have imagined the group’s named charitable fund, “The Cornwall Glass Fund,” was born and active charitable work in the communities surrounding company branches began in earnest Following the opening of Branches in Exeter and Plymouth in 2006, Westcountry Glass, was established in Saltash with a purpose-built factory it housed the company’s second toughening furnace.
Always looking for ways to grow and improve, the opportunity to manufacture glass products, in house, became reality with the acquisition of Solaglas in St Austell. The company changed its name to Cornwall Glass and Glazing. In 2003 the St Austell factory expanded and followed by a £2 million investment, the group installed their first toughening plant and production of “Chough Tough” EN toughened glass began alongside the semi-automatic sealed unit line.
Sons Garry and Mark joined the company, working alongside their father and learning hands on the ins and outs of the glass trade. Starting on £35 a week they each brought a new dynamic to the company
Dave and Heather Mitchell established their family glazing business, “Dave Mitchell Glass and Glazing” with an office based at Pearce’s Potato Merchants in Truro. Dave and his wife, Heather who looked after the books, work tirelessly together to ensure their customers got the very best of everything for all things glass and glazing.
